Spurs At Heat Previews

[duncan228]

Edit: The game is on NBA TV.

San Antonio (22-11) at Miami (18-14) Preview (http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/preview?gid=2009010514&prov=ap)
Game info: 7:30 pm EST Mon Jan 5, 2009
By Matt Becker

The last time San Antonio and Miami met, the Spurs’ roster was decimated, as injuries to two of their top three players left them sputtering out of the gate.

Two months later, the Spurs are healthy and playing their best basketball of the season.

Southwest Division-leading San Antonio looks to win for the eighth time in nine games Monday when it visits the Heat.

After capturing its seventh division title in 10 years and advancing to the Western Conference finals last season, San Antonio (22-11) got off to a rough start to 2008-09. Manu Ginobili missed the first 12 games while recovering from offseason ankle surgery, and the team lost Tony Parker in the fifth game.

Two days after Parker scored 55 points, he sprained his left ankle 10 minutes into a matchup with the Heat (18-14) on Nov. 7. The Spurs went on to lose 99-83 and opened the season 1-4 - their worst start since going 1-5 in 1996.

San Antonio didn’t get Ginobili, Parker and Tim Duncan on the court together until Nov. 28, and it’s won 14 of 19 games since to move atop its highly competitive division.

The Spurs have been winning with accuracy from the perimeter, as they lead the NBA in 3-point shooting at 40.6 percent. San Antonio finished 15-of-26 from beyond the arc and matched a franchise record with eight 3-pointers in the first quarter of Saturday’s 108-106 win over Philadelphia.

The Spurs squandered an early 21-point lead before Parker grabbed an offensive rebound with 0.9 seconds left and hit a high-arching 15-footer at the buzzer for the victory.

“I was just trying to make sure it got a chance,” Parker said. “A chance, you know, with enough air on it. I knew there was not a lot of seconds left. It was just a good shot.”

Parker, averaging a team-high 21.5 points, finished with 15 and 10 assists, while Duncan led San Antonio with 26 points on 11-of-15 shooting. Ginobili added 21 points and is averaging 23.0 in his last three games versus Miami.

The Spurs are 9-2 against the Heat with Duncan, Parker and Ginobili all in the lineup.

Miami overcame a 16-point deficit Saturday to beat New Jersey 101-96 in overtime, its biggest comeback victory of the season. The Heat have alternated wins and losses in the last four games after winning their previous four.

Dwyane Wade had another stellar performance Saturday with 29 points and four blocked shots, three of which came in the closing minutes.

“In the second half, Dwyane Wade displayed his dominance again,” Nets guard Keyon Dooling said. “He carried them to the mountaintop. He’s incredible. He’s amazing.”

Wade tops the league with 28.8 points a contest and has helped lead Miami to three more wins than it had all of last season. The four-time All-Star had 33 points, 10 rebounds and nine assists against the Spurs in November.

Notes

Spurs:

The Spurs set a season-high with 40 points in the first quarter on Saturday. ... San Antonio set a season high with 66 points in a half. ... Philadephia crushed San Antonio, 58-36, in points in the paint. ... Philadelphia outscored the Spurs 56-42 in the second half.

Heat:

Miami has defeated New Jersey in all three contests this season, two of which came without Nets star G Devin Harris in the lineup. ... The 16-point, first-quarter deficit was the largest the Heat have overcome this season and now are 7-2 this season in games decided by five points or less. ... SG Dwyane Wade leads the Heat with 51 blocks and has the most blocks by a guard in the NBA this season. The next highest total is 17. ... SG Daequan Cook hit 3-of-7 from behind the 3-point line in his first start of the season and is shooting 59 percent (33-of-56) from beyond the arc over his last nine games. ... F Shawn Marion (back spasms) did not play Saturday against New Jersey but is hopeful he will be able to play in Miami's next game against San Antonio on Monday.

Injury Report

Spurs

No injuries to report.

Heat

S Marion F Back spasms
D Wright GF Left knee surgery - out 4 to 6 weeks
J Jones SF Right wrist surgery - out 3 months

Team Stat Leaders

Points

Tony Parker SA 21.5
Dwyane Wade Mia 28.8

Rebounds

Tim Duncan SA 10.3
Shawn Marion Mia 9.2

Assists

Tony Parker SA 6.8
Dwyane Wade Mia 7.0

Team Comparison

Team Record Standings PF PA Road/Home Streak L10

San Antonio 22-11 1st Southwest / 2nd West 97.1 93.8 Road 9-5 Won 2 7-3

Miami 18-14 3rd Southeast / 6th East 96.0 95.6 Home 12-5 Won 1 6-4

[toki9]

After capturing its seventh division title in 10 years and advancing to the Western Conference finals last season, San Antonio (22-11) got off to a rough start to 2008-09.

We won the division title last year?

[Xylus]

Well, Miami has a winning record, so this one should be a blowout in the Spurs' favor.

[Armando]

Well, Miami has a winning record, so this one should be a blowout in the Spurs' favor.



Eh I think the Spurs will win this one. I doubt the Heat will complained to much if they lose. After all they managed to win @ San Antonio which has not been kind to them. And at worst they are assured a split. The last few seasons the Spurs have swept them.

[DPG21920]

Spurs have been playing their best basketball???

[kace]

We won the division title last year?

IIRC, we were at the same winning % than NO but they had the tie breaker thanks to the RS meetings of both teams, with HCA.

don't know if it means that we were both to win the division title since we were tied, and the tie breaker only works for HCA.

[Brazil]

Wade deserves to be in the mvp discussion with James this game will be a tough one

[024]

dwyane wade is surrounded by arguably the worst team in the NBA. half the team is made up of d league talent combined with marion operating at 30% efficiency. yet he is able to burst over .500 and turn miami into a playoff team. it will be though to stop dwyane wade.

[benefactor]

dwyane wade is surrounded by arguably the worst team in the NBA. half the team is made up of d league talent combined with marion operating at 30% efficiency. yet he is able to burst over .500 and turn miami into a playoff team. it will be though to stop dwyane wade.
Beasley?

[Ditty]

keep wade under 40 and we will win

[duncan228]

Monday: Spurs (22-11) at Heat (18-14) (http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/spurs/Monday_Spurs_22-11_at_Heat_18-14.html)
Express-News

Time: 6:30 p.m.
TV: FSNSW
Radio: WOAI-AM 1200, KCOR-AM 1350

STARTING LINEUPS
POS - SPURS - HEAT

PG - 9 Tony Parker (6-2, 8th yr) - 6 Mario Chalmers (6-1, 1st yr)
Parker lasted 10:04 of teams’ previous meeting before spraining ankle.

SG - 8 Roger Mason Jr. (6-5, 5th yr) - 3 Dwyane Wade (6-4, 6th yr)
Healthier than he was last year, Wade playing like an MVP candidate.

SF - 4 Michael Finley (6-7, 14th yr) - 7 Shawn Marion (6-7, 10th yr)
Marion could be a handful in transition, if his aching back allows.

PF - 21 Tim Duncan (6-11, 12th yr) - 40 Udonis Haslem (6-8, 6th yr)
Two games into 2009, Duncan is 19 of 26 for a combined 46 points.

C - 15 Matt Bonner (6-10, 5th yr) - 50 Joel Anthony (6-9, 2nd yr)
Bonner playing tug-of-war with Mason for team 3-point shooting lead.

SPURS RESERVES

12 Bruce Bowen, F, 6-7, 13th yr
20 Manu Ginobili, G, 6-6, 7th yr
3 George Hill, G, 6-2, 1st yr
7 Fabricio Oberto, C, 6-10, 4th yr
40 Kurt Thomas, C/F, 6-9, 14th yr
35 Anthony Tolliver, C, 6-8, 1st yr
5 Ime Udoka, G/F, 6-5, 5th yr

HEAT RESERVES

5 Marcus Banks, G, 6-2, 6th yr
30 Michael Beasley, F, 6-9 1/2, 1st yr
15 Mark Blount, C/F, 7-0, 9th yr
14 Daequan Cook, G, 6-5, 2nd yr
9 Yakhouba Diawara, F/G, 6-7, 3rd yr
21 Jamaal Magloire, C, 6-11, 9th yr
11 Chris Quinn, G, 6-2, 3rd yr

COACHES

Spurs: Gregg Popovich
Heat: Erik Spoelstra

INJURIES

Spurs: Ian Mahinmi (left ankle sprain) is out. Fabricio Oberto (sprained left foot) is questionable.

Heat: James Jones (ruptured tendon, right wrist) and Dorell Wright (left knee surgery) are out. Marion (back spasms) is questionable.

PROJECTED INACTIVE PLAYERS

Spurs: Mahinmi, Malik Hairston, Jacque Vaughn

Heat: Shaun Livingston, Jones, Wright

NOTABLE

Miami’s 99-83 win Nov. 7 at the AT&T Center sank the Spurs to a 1-4 start. Spurs are 21-7 since. ..... Spurs played first meeting with Ginobili already on injured list and with Parker joining him 10 minutes in. ..... With 18 victories, Miami has surpassed last season’s total of 15.

- Jeff McDonald

[duncan228]

Miami Heat to face healthy, happy Spurs this time (http://www.miamiherald.com/sports/basketball/miami-heat/story/837647.html)
After beating the Spurs earlier this season, the Heat is expecting a tougher test from a healthier team.
BY Sarah Rothschild

The Heat is under no illusion that the rematch against the San Antonio Spurs will resemble the first meeting.

Now, the Spurs are healthy and they're hot.

San Antonio enters Monday's game against Miami having won 13 of 16. Tony Parker, who sprained his left ankle in the first quarter against the Heat earlier this season, is back. Manu Ginobili, who missed the Heat game recovering from offseason ankle surgery, will play.

The Heat beat the short-handed Spurs 99-83 on Nov. 7 in San Antonio and expect this meeting to be more challenging.

''That's a different team than we faced,'' Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said of the Spurs coming to AmericanAirlines Arena. 'They've been playing as well as anybody in the league. I looked this week, I'm like, `Oh surprise, surprise the Spurs are second in the West.' They've weathered the storm. They're healthy now, and they have more depth than they probably had last year.''

BACK ON TOP

Miami dominated San Antonio, building a 24-9 lead before Parker got injured. The Spurs have rebounded after the Heat dropped San Antonio to 1-4 -- matching the worst five-game start in its history. The Spurs are 22-11, trailing only the Lakers in the Western Conference.

''I expected them to be right back,'' Heat forward Udonis Haslem said. "They had a couple injuries. [Greg Popovich] is a great coach, they're a veteran group and they know how to win."

"At the end of the season they're always right in the mix to win the championship.''

The Spurs are the top three-point shooting team in the league, hitting 40.6 percent of their attempts. San Antonio boasts two of the top three long-range shooters. Roger Mason is shooting 47.5 percent, second behind Phoenix's Jason Richardson, and Matt Bonner is third with 46.8 percent.

Though the Spurs are surging, the Heat is also much improved from the first meeting against San Antonio. Miami has won six of eight, with victories against the Lakers and Cavaliers, and is coming off Saturday's overtime win over the New Jersey Nets.

If Miami beats San Antonio it would mark the second season sweep against the Spurs in franchise history, and first since the 1996-97 season. The Heat is looking to extend its season-high five-game winning streak at home. A win also would be significant because Monday is the final home game for the Heat before embarking on a seven-game road trip -- its longest of the season.

BUSY TIME

''We understand we're in a tough stretch the next three weeks,'' Spoelstra said. "Everyone knows what the deal is. It's time for us to mature and take the next step.''

Monday kicks off the Heat's stretch of eight games in 14 days. The Heat is optimistic because its defense is much improved.

''We've been defending as well as anybody the last two-and-a-half three weeks,'' Spoelstra said.

The Heat also has been undeterred when playing top teams and established a reputation for being resilient and gritty. Miami overcame a 16-point deficit to defeat the Nets 101-96 and now is 7-2 in games decided by five points or less.

Rookie Michael Beasley said the Heat's resolve should serve them well, especially since a grueling stretch begins Monday.

''We're not scared,'' Beasley said.

Dwyane Wade added: "This team has a fight, and you're going to need that.''

[duncan228]

Miami Heat's Shawn Marion might return (http://www.miamiherald.com/sports/basketball/miami-heat/story/837637.html)
By Sarah Rothschild

Heat forward Shawn Marion said he expects to play Monday against San Antonio after missing Saturday's game because of back spasms.

Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said Marion aggravated his back in Friday's loss in Orlando. Marion initially was injured Dec. 19 against the Los Angeles Lakers, when Heat center Joel Anthony fell on top of him.

Marion, who was a late scratch for Saturday's game against the Nets, missed his fourth game of the season.

''It just locked up on me, and I couldn't move,'' Marion said after Saturday's overtime win.

Spoelstra said Marion was in pain when he arrived for Saturday's walkthrough, but was optimistic the team's leading rebounder -- he averages 9.2 -- would be available against the Spurs.

''I think with another day of rest and treatment he will be ready to go,'' Spoelstra said.

EARNING TIME

Rookie Michael Beasley logged 41 minutes Saturday, the most he has played since the seventh game this season.

Beasley had a productive game off the bench, scoring 17 points and grabbing seven rebounds.

''I thought he was as sharp as he's been all year,'' Spoelstra said.

Beasley was solid in overtime against New Jersey, scoring five points and blocking a shot.

''I felt like I did everything I was supposed to do to help the team,'' Beasley said. ``I made an impact on the defensive side.''

After playing 14 minutes Friday against Orlando, how did his increased role feel?

''Different,'' Beasley said. ``You've got to catch your breath.''

MONDAY: SPURS AT HEAT

• When: 7:30 p.m.

• Where: AmericanAirlines Arena.

• TV/radio: Sun Sports; WINZ (940 AM) WQBA (1140 AM, Spanish).

• The series: The Heat is 13-30 against the Spurs, but beat San Antonio on Nov. 7.

[ClingingMars]

Spurs have been playing their best basketball???

[Rogue]

Mavs were the fourth seed of our devision last season, grizzlies were the fifth. :lmao

it's unreasonable the heat reserve beasley on the bench, to show they are more powerful than thunders and twolves? Beasley is the seacond draft who has to see those 4th and 5th drafts start for their teams, it seems to be a destiny for the seacond drafts to suck.
Swift, darko.... ... :lol

[duncan228]

Healthy Spurs will provide Heat with tougher test than in previous meeting (http://www.palmbeachpost.com/news/content/sports/epaper/2009/01/04/0104heat.html?cxtype=rss&cxsvc=7&cxcat=46)
By Tom D'Angelo

MIAMI — Even at 2-5 it was difficult to doubt the San Antonio Spurs.

After all, this is a franchise that has finished first or second in its division for 11 consecutive seasons and won at least 50 games in each of the last 10 full seasons.

The Spurs may play in one of the NBA's smallest markets, but they have become a giant in the league.

"At the end of the season, they're always in the mix to win the championship," Heat forward Udonis Haslem said.

The Heat should know. Miami's 99-83 victory two months ago broke a 10-game losing streak in San Antonio. Of course, the Spurs had an alibi: Manu Ginobili was recovering from off-season ankle surgery and Tony Parker left the game after 10 minutes with a sprained ankle.

San Antonio is healthy again for the 7:30 p.m. rematch Monday night in Miami.

"That's a different team than we faced," Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said. "Since we played them, they're playing as well as anybody in the league.

"They've weathered the storms," Spoelstra said. "They're healthy now, they have more depth than they probably had last year and it's going to be a tough game for us defensively to summon up the energy again."

Ginobili missed the first 12 games and Parker sat out nine. They overlapped for seven games in which the Spurs were 5-2.

San Antonio is 20-6 since the 2-5 start and has won 7-of-8 to catch New Orleans atop the Southwest Division. Its 108-106 victory over Philadelphia on Saturday was sealed when Parker grabbed an offensive rebound and hit a 15-foot turnaround jumper with less than a second remaining.

"(Spur's coach Gregg) Popovich has got those guys out there doing what they need to do," Heat forward Shawn Marion said. "They're going to survive and do what they got to do and handle injuries. They're going to be there."

Noteworthy: Spoelstra said Saturday he expects Marion to be available Monday night. Marion was bothered by back spasms Saturday and did not play in the Heat's victory over the Nets. Marion was initially injured on Dec. 19 when center Joel Anthony fell on him. The injury was re-aggravated Friday in Orlando.

"He came in (Saturday) for our walkthrough before the game and he couldn't even move," Spoelstra said. "So I think with another day of rest and treatment, I think he hopefully should be ready to go on Monday."

[DynastyBuilder]

Three Things to Know About the Heat with Coach Newman (http://www.download.com/Vipre-Antivirus-Antispyware/3000-8022_4-10870576.html?tag=mncol) - Video (http://www.download.com/Vipre-Antivirus-Antispyware/3000-8022_4-10870576.html?tag=mncol)

[Spork KIller]

The Heat will demolish these mother fuckers

[Rogue]

The Heat will demolish these mother f**kers
what a cool gesture. but I am a left-hander.:flipoff

[TDMVPDPOY]

lets just hope the refs dont get to fiesty with the whistles

[Solid D]

This is a new problem team for the Spurs. The Heat can shoot the ball, and they play excellent defense. They are ranked 4th in Opp FG%, 5th in Blocks, and 6th in Steals. They have Dwyane Wade to make up for any inadequacies on point differentials on a game-by-game basis.

The Spurs would do well to push the tempo. Aggressive play to get to the line will be a key factor in getting the Heat on their heels. Scoring 100+ points is a good thing versus this particular team.

Miami contests all shots from 21 feet and in...however, this is a sure loss if the Spurs try to win this game from the arc.

It is a bad sign if: The Spurs have fewer than 10 FT attempts at halftime.
It is a good sign if: The Spurs are going over the top on screens and pressuring well on pick and pop opportunities.

[1Parker1]

Wow, hard to believe that despite all their struggles...the Spurs are now 2nd seed in the West? :wow

[shelshor]

Referee Assignments
Mon. Jan. 5
San Antonio @ Miami: B. Delaney, B. Adams, E. Lewis

[Gutter92]

The Heat will demolish these mother fuckers


You're right, they did demolish them..

Heat @ Suns (Heat@Suns) 107-92

:lol:lol

[duncan228]

Heat host Spurs in South Beach (http://64.246.64.33/merge/tsnform.aspx?c=sportsnetwork&page=nba/news/news.aspx?id=4201365)

(Sports Network) - The Miami Heat aim to finish a quick two-game homestand in perfect fashion Monday when they welcome the San Antonio Spurs to South Beach.

The Heat won the opener of the short residency on Saturday when Dwyane Wade scored 29 points, grabbed eight rebounds and dished out six assists, as Miami held on in overtime to take a 101-96 decision over the New Jersey Nets.

Wade, the reigning Eastern Conference Player of the Month, also recorded three steals and four blocks for the Heat, who have won six of eight overall and improved to 12-5 as the host this season. Yakhouba Diawara added a season-high 19 points, while Michael Beasley posted 17 points and seven rebounds.

Daequan Cook contributed 15 points, while Udonis Haslem had five points and 13 rebounds.

The Spurs, meanwhile, won a thriller on Saturday when Tony Parker's fadeaway baseline jumper off an offensive rebound just beat the final buzzer, as San Antonio Spurs fended off a furious Philadelphia comeback in a 108-106 win at the AT&T Center.

The Spurs watched a 21-point first quarter lead dwindle throughout the second and third quarter. The Sixers fought back admirably to pull even late in the game and had a chance to go ahead with less than 30 seconds remaining, but a costly turnover gave San Antonio the final shot.

Manu Ginobili's three-pointer from the right wing was short, and the carom bounced to Parker at the baseline with less than two seconds remaining. Parker, with Andre Miller's hand in his face, spun and lofted a rainbow that hit nothing but net to give the Spurs the dramatic win.

Parker finished with 15 points and 10 assists, while Tim Duncan and Ginobili contributed 26 and 21 points, respectively, in San Antonio's seventh win in eight games. Duncan also grabbed 12 rebounds, while Roger Mason had 19 points thanks to his hitting all five of his three-point attempts.

Miami snapped a two-game skid versus the Spurs with a 99-83 thumping of the Spurs in San Antonio on November 7. Gregg Popovich's club is a solid 9-5 as the visitor this year.

[duncan228]

Spurs come in to play Heat at full health (http://www.sun-sentinel.com/sports/basketball/heat/sfl-flspheat05sbjan05,0,7197841.story?track=rss)
San Antonio puts poor start behind
By Ira Winderman

The last time the Heat faced the Spurs, San Antonio appeared a shell of its former championship self.

Shooting guard Manu Ginobili was still sidelined from September ankle surgery. Point guard Tony Parker was hobbling off the court in the first quarter with a sprained left ankle that would put him out for nine games. And the Spurs were in the midst of a 2-5 start to the season.

That was on Nov. 7 at the AT&T Center, when the Heat turned an 18-0 first-quarter blitz into a 99-83 victory, its first victory in San Antonio in 12 years.

Now fast forward to a recent morning when Heat coach Erik Spoelstra was glancing at the standings while enjoying his Fruit Loops and Red Bull (or whatever today's 30-somethings do for breakfast).

"I looked this week, and, oh, surprise, surprise, the Spurs are second in the West," Spoelstra said. "They've weathered the storm."

While the Spurs hardly resemble the team that fell two months ago to the Heat, they do resemble their typical epitome of sustained excellence, now with 13 victories in their past 16 games.

"They got healthy," said Heat forward Shawn Marion, who expects to return for tonight's rematch against the Spurs from his Saturday absence with back spasms. "They're back to full strength."

In some ways, the Spurs may be more complete than at any point since winning the 2007 NBA title. Amid the absences of Ginobili and Parker, they were able to develop rookie point guard George Hill and offseason free-agent addition Roger Mason. They also retooled their lineup, with former Florida Gators outside-shooting big man Matt Bonner now starting at power forward.

"They're coming back with a full team," Marion said. "That's the difference. At the same time, it's going to be interesting because we're a different team than when we played them, as well."

When the teams first met, the Heat was in the midst of its 7-8 start with rookie forward Michael Beasley in its starting lineup. Since replacing Beasley with Joel Anthony, who did not play in that first meeting against the Spurs, the Heat is 11-6.

But while the Heat has remained a middle-of-the-pack presence, the Spurs have edged slightly ahead of the Hornets to regain the Southwest Division lead, now second to the Lakers in the Western Conference.

"Since we've played them, they're playing as well as anybody in the league," Spoelstra said. "They're healthy now."

Like so many of the contenders the Heat has faced in recent games, the Spurs are an over-the-top success story. They rank first in the league in 3-point percentage and third in 3-point conversions.

That makes this another pick-your-poison night against Tim Duncan, just as it was against the Magic and Dwight Howard in Friday night's loss in Orlando.

"It's going to be a tough game for us defensively, to summon up the energy again," Spoelstra said.

The difference between the Magic game and this rematch with the Spurs is this will be at AmericanAirlines Arena, where the Heat has won five in a row, including an overtime win against New Jersey on Saturday.

"We know," Heat backup forward Yakhouba Diawara said, "it's not the same team that we faced two months ago."

[duncan228]

Just an fyi, the game is on NBA TV.

[td4mvp21]

It would be good to win this game. I want to see the paint on lockdown mode. 58 points to the 76ers is fucking bullshit.

[Bartleby]

The Heat will demolish these mother fuckers

:idiot